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Southern Portugal rattled by 4.9 quake

An earthquake measuring 4.9 Richter Scale was reported at 11.51am on Monday morning. The incident caused panic down in the Algarve and in Lisbon.

According to the Portuguese IPMA Sea and Atmopshere Institute, mainland seismic stations recorded the quake just outside Arraiolos, which forms part of the Alentejo district of Évora.

Fire-fighters in Arraiolos said "everything was shaking", and that they were inundated with calls, but said they had no reports of any damage.

The earthquake was felt across the country, especially by people living in tower blocks.

One distressed reader told The Portugal News he "was seated on his 12th floor balcony in Quarteira when everything started shaking."

There were also reports of children being evacuated from schools in nearby Elvas.

IPMA recalled that locating the epicentre of an earthquake "is a complex physical and mathematical process that depends on the set of data, algorhythms and propagation models of seismic waves," noting that "different agencies may produce slightly different results."

"Similarly, the preliminary determinations are usually corrected later, through the inclusion of more information," it added.

Comments

Noticed a rumbling noise at around that time and was puzzled to see no large vehicles. No shaking at all.

by A .G from Beiras on 16-01-2018 07:16:00

The earthquake was felt in Badajoz, Spain too!

by Charlotte T from UK on 15-01-2018 03:41:00

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